[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 146 (Friday, July 30, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41404-41405]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-19522]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)
for the Treatment and Management of Sodium-Bonded Spent Nuclear Fuel
AGENCY: Department of Energy.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: The Department of Energy announces the availability of the
``Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Treatment and Management
of Sodium-Bonded Spent Nuclear Fuel'' (DOE/EIS-0306D) for public review
and comment. This draft EIS, prepared under the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA), assesses the potential environmental impacts
associated with the treatment and management of the Department's
sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel in one or more spent nuclear fuel
management facilities: Argonne National Laboratory-West at the Idaho
National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (near Idaho Falls,
Idaho) and either the F-Canyon or Building 105-L at the Savannah River
Site (near Aiken, South Carolina). The Department is considering ways
to prepare the sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel for disposal in a
geologic repository. Such treatment would remove or stabilize the
chemically reactive sodium in the fuel. The EIS evaluates reasonable
alternatives for treatment of the Department's sodium-bonded spent
nuclear fuel and a no-action alternative. The Department has no
preferred alternative at this time.
DATES: The Department invites the general public, other Federal
agencies, Tribal, State and local Governments to provide comments on
this draft EIS. The 45-day comment period extends through September 13,
1999. To ensure consideration in the preparation of the final EIS,
comments should be transmitted or postmarked by September 13, 1999.
Comments submitted after that date will be considered to the extent
practicable. The information obtained during the comment period will
assist the Department in preparing the final EIS, which is scheduled to
be completed by December 31, 1999.
During the review period, the Department will hold public hearings
to discuss the proposed action and to receive oral and written comments
on the draft EIS. The hearings are scheduled for the following dates,
times, and locations.
August 17, 1999, (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.), North Augusta Community
Center, 495 Brookside Avenue, North Augusta, South Carolina 29842,
(803) 441-4290
August 24, 1999, (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.), Owyhee Plaza Hotel, 1109
Main Street, Boise, Idaho 83702, (208) 343-4611
August 26, 1999, (6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.), Shilo Inn, 780 Lindsay
Boulevard, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83402, (208) 523-0088
August 31, 1999, (2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.), Hyatt Regency Crystal
City, 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22202, (703)
418-1234
The format for the hearings will include an opportunity for
informal discussions with project personnel before and after the formal
presentation. After the presentation, there will be an opportunity to
provide comments on the draft EIS to Departmental representatives. The
Department encourages those providing oral comments at the hearings to
also submit them in writing. Comment forms will be available at the
hearings for those who prefer to submit their comments in writing.
The Department will make transcripts of the draft EIS hearings,
copies of background documents, and other materials related to the
proposed project and development of the EIS available for public review
in the following reading rooms:
Washington, D.C.: U. S. Department of Energy, Freedom of Information
Reading Room, Forrestal Building, Room 1E-190,
[[Page 41405]]
1000 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20585-0117, 202-
586-3142
Idaho Falls, Idaho: Idaho National Engineering and Environmental
Laboratory, DOE-Idaho Operations Office Public Reading Room, 1776
Science Center Drive, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415, 208-526-0271
Richland, Washington: DOE Public Reading Room, 2770 University
Drive, CIC, Room 101L, Richland, Washington 99352, 509-372-7443
Albuquerque, New Mexico: University of New Mexico, Government
Information Department, Zimmerman Library, Albuquerque, New Mexico
87131, 505-277-0582
Aiken, South Carolina: University of South Carolina-Gregg
Graniteville Library, 471 University Parkway, Aiken, South Carolina
29803, 803-648-6851
Oak Ridge, Tennessee: DOE Public Reading Room, 230 Warehouse Road,
Building 1916-T-2, Suite 300, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, 423-241-
4780 and the DOE Information Resource Center, 105 Broadway Avenue,
Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830, 423-241-4582
ADDRESSES: Written comments on the draft EIS, requests for special
arrangements to enable participation in the hearings (e.g., an
interpreter for the hearing impaired), requests to be placed on the EIS
distribution list, and questions concerning the project should be sent
to: Ms. Susan M. Lesica, EIS Document Manager, Office of Nuclear
Facilities Management, Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and
Technology, U.S. Department of Energy, NE-40, 19901 Germantown Road,
Germantown, Maryland 20874-1290.
Comments and requests may also be submitted by toll free facsimile
to (877) 621-8288 or telephone (877) 450-6904. Comments and requests
may also be submitted by electronic mail to [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information on the
Department's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, please
contact: Ms. Carol M. Borgstrom, Director, Office of NEPA Policy and
Assistance (EH-42), Office of Environment, Safety and Health, U.S.
Department of Energy, 1000 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC
20585-0119; or telephone (202) 586-4600 or leave a message at 1-800-
472-2756.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department is responsible for the safe
and efficient management of several types of spent nuclear fuel
including its ultimate disposition (that is expected to be disposal in
a geologic repository). Some Departmental spent fuels may be suitable
for disposal with little or no stabilizing treatment. Other spent fuel
types may not be suitable for disposal without significant treatment or
stabilization.
One type of spent nuclear fuel that may not be suitable for
disposal without treatment is sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel. Sodium-
bonded spent nuclear fuel contains metallic sodium, a highly chemically
reactive material. Metallic sodium reacts vigorously with water or
moist air producing heat, potentially explosive hydrogen gas, and
sodium hydroxide, a corrosive substance. Sodium metal was used as a
heat transfer medium within the stainless steel cladding of sodium-
bonded fuel and as coolant in the nuclear reactors in which these fuels
were used. To the extent possible, the highly reactive sodium has been
removed from external surfaces of these fuels after their use, but a
portion remains bonded to the uranium metal alloy fuel within the
cladding and cannot be removed without further treatment. The presence
of reactive or pyrophoric material such as metallic sodium, could
complicate the process of qualifying and licensing such spent fuel for
disposal, which would require data and predictive analyses sufficient
to demonstrate that emplacement of the spent fuel would not adversely
affect a repository's ability to protect the environment and public
health.
The Department believes that treatment to remove metallic sodium
and convert this spent nuclear fuel into a compact waste form would
facilitate disposal qualification of this fuel. Technologies for spent
nuclear fuel treatment that might facilitate such qualification should,
therefore, be considered in deciding how to manage Department-owned
sodium-bonded fuels. The EIS analyzes, under the proposed action, six
reasonable alternatives that employ one or more of the following
technology options: electrometallurgical treatment; the plutonium-
uranium extraction process; packaging in high-integrity cans; and the
melt and dilute treatment process. The EIS also evaluates a no action
alternative, under which the sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel would
continue to be stored indefinitely; The Department would pursue
research and development of a new treatment technology or would
directly dispose of the sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel in high-
integrity cans without treatment.
The Department has not identified a preferred alternative in the
draft EIS. Environmental analysis in this EIS, public comments, the
findings of an independent cost study and a nonproliferation report
that are being prepared concurrently with the EIS, as well as other
program policy factors, will be considered in determining a preferred
alternative in the final EIS. A Record of Decision will be issued no
sooner than 30 days after the final EIS has been distributed.
Issued in Washington, D.C., this 22, day of July 1999.
William D. Magwood, IV,
Director, Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology.
[FR Doc. 99-19522 Filed 7-29-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P